Viennese cuisine

Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz, Sacher Torte and Kaiserschmarren: these are just a few of the instantly recognizable and world-famous staples of Viennese cuisine. Each dish perfectly illustrates how different culinary influences come together in the city.

Release time : 2019-07-12 10:41:29

source : https://www.wien.info

Vienna is probably the only city in the world to have lent its name to a particular style of cooking. The recipe behind the success of Viennese cuisine is extraordinarily simple: all you have to do is take the very best culinary traditions from Bohemia, Austria, Hungary, Italy and the Balkans and blend them together to make some unusual dishes. In fact, the roots of many quintessentially “Viennese” specialties can be traced back to neighboring countries, which is hardly surprising given that Vienna was the heart of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy for centuries - a union which brought together countless cultures with their own unique culinary identities. The capital’s location - close to Hungary, Bohemia and Moravia - and the presence of exceptionally gifted female cooks from all over the empire in well-to-do Viennese households saw the city’s cuisine take on a distinctly Eastern European flavor. Hungary contributed goulash, as well as the strudel, which it in turn had picked up from Turkey. Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic, contributed many of the city’s pastries (known as Mehlspeisen). In line with Bohemian tradition, heavy, sweet dishes such as pancakes and apricot dumplings are often served as a main course. The jewel in the Viennese culinary crown, the Wiener Schnitzel, is rumored to have reached the Austrian capital from Istanbul via Venice and Milan.

The taste of Vienna

Viennese cuisine is famous for its clear soups, which are traditionally served as a starter. The broth is usually made from a tasty beef, bone and vegetable stock that is simmered for hours. Various extras are then added such as Frittaten (finely sliced savory pancakes), Leberknödel (liver dumplings) and Griessnockerl (semolina dumplings). The world-famous Wiener Schnitzel is a tender flat veal cutlet, coated in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, and pan-fried in butter and oil to a perfect golden brown. It typically comes with potato